Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-12

"Are you really better. dear Jack ?" she
asked an1iously.
Yes, thank you. Quite cured. Good
by," and he was gone.
That her lovers leave-taking was a little
abrupt did strike Maude; she was, how
ever, far too confused by the turn affairs
had taken to attach much Importance to
the first circumstance.
When she returned to her uncle he
seemed wonderfully better, and at supper
he talked cheerfully of their future.
Maude passed another sleepless night.
She did not SO much mind the terrible loss
she had sustained on her own account;
but she was bitterly disappointed that she
could not do all she had promised for her
dear Jack. She determined, however, to
be the most loving and economical wife
possible. At all events her uncle would
not be able to accuse Jack of being mer-
cenary now, and there was much comfort
In that reflection. Perhaps after all they
would be able to have proper wedding,
only of course it would have to be a very
quiet one. How much nicer that would
be than running away and deceiving her
uncle, who had always been so kind to her.
When she came down to breakfast the
next morning she was looking pale and
little worn after her two sleepless nights.
The Major, however, seemed to have sue
ceeded in throwing off his grief in quite a
wonderful manner, and was in almost his
usual spirits.
Have you heard how Mr. Browne is
this morning." Maude ventured to ask the
landlady's daughter
Why, Miss he paid up for the week
and went off by the mail train last night,
declaring he was sure the place didn't suit
him"
Poor Maude. The blow did indeed fall
on her with crushing force.
Dear me, rather sudden We shall
miss the old gentleman-eh, Miss Maudew
said the Major, as soon as the uncle and
neice were left together. He laid slight
stress on the adjective, and there was
suspicion of fun in his eyes. 1t was, how
ever, no laughing matter to Maude; she,
poor girl, unable longer 10 act her part,
burst into an uncomfortable fit of weeping
"Poor child poor childr' said the Ma
jor, compassionately; cts sharp lesson
for you to learn. But it is better to bear
little pain now than to suffer for the re-
mainder of your life, as would most prob
ably have been your fate if | had not paid
that scoundrel out in his own COIN"
The threatened loss of fortune was all a
fabrication, Major Henderson having
room in Honeysuckle cottage.
The truth was the Major had discovered
what was going on when he came upon
the lovers so Unexpectedly. He then de-
vised the scheme, which he afterwards
carried out so successfully, in order to test
the sincerity of Lieutenant Mapleson's at
tachment to Maude. Major Henderson
had, of course, been obliged to take the
landlady into his confidence, and she,
fully entering into the spirit of the thing,
had suggested the Majors's occupying the
top room in her cottage, whence he could
| watch Mr.. Brownies movements. And so
Major Henderson had merely walked to
the station, portmanteau in hand and re-
turning had entered Honeysuckle cottage
by the back way.
Maude's grief and humiliation were so
real when she heard these details that
her uncle, thinking she would not care to
remain where her story was known, wisely
suggested returning home the following
day.
1--WE can give garden party or some
thing of that kind in honor of your
twenty-frst birthday. 1t will be few
days after the event, but that won't matter
| would give good deal to see that young
fortune-hunter's face when he finds out
how he has been duped. There's no fear
of his tit.le-tattling about it, though, for
his own sake, SO the story won't get all
over the town. l suppose, my DEAR"
added Major Henderson, rather anXiouslv,
you'll never let him again find the way
to your kind little heart with his honeyed
words?''
Maude drew herself up to her full hight
No, indeed, uncle, that [ never will. To
use his own words, am quite cured"
Before the year was out another sutton
asked for Maude's hand, and on this occa-
sion the anxious pleader did not have any
cause to complain of Major Henderson's
obstinacy.-Chamber' Journal